Corset-stiffener



( Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1. r

G. K. PEV EY.

CORSET STIFFENER.

No. 494,078. Y Patented Mar...21, 1893.

4 I/g;l 2 5 I 3 v1 2 C 2 6 G. K. PEVEY. CORSET STIPFENER.

2 Sheets8heet 2.

Patented Mar. .21, 1893;

' JNVENTEII'R'? w [TN EESES! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES K. PEVEY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

CORSET-STIFFEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 494,078, dated March21, 1893.

Application filed December 31, 1885. Serial No. 187.255. (Model) thecity and county of Worcester and Com:

monwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Dress and Corset Stiffeners; and I do herebydeclare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference be ing had to the accompanying drawings and the letters ofreference marked thereon, forming a part of this specification, inwhich- Figure 1, represents a perspective view of a dress and corsetstiffener made according to my invention. Fig. 2, represents upon anenlarged scale a perspective view of the metal cap employed to cover orshield the ends. Fig. 3, represents upon an enlarged scale one end of mydress and corset stiffener, showing one mode or goodway of making orforming the end of the stiffener, preparatory to receiving the cap. Fig.4, represents upon an enlarged scale a side view of one end of thestiffener, showing another form or Way of accomplishing the same end.Fig. 5, represents an edge view of the parts shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6,represents upon an enlarged scale, a section of the die employed tofasten the cap to the end of the steel, showing the parts as they wouldappear if the stiflener were in section on line a, a, Fig. 1, looking inthe direction of the arrow, same figure, and Fig. 7 represents the sameview shown in Fig. 6, after the cap has been compressed upon the end ofthe stifiener, as will be hereinafter more fully described. Figs. 8 and9, Sheet 2, represent the elastic and spring nature of the device sinceafter being bent andtwisted into the forms shown in Figs. 8, and 9 andthen released, it will instantly resume its normal position shown inFigs. 1, and 10, as will-be hereinafter more fully described.

To enable those skilled in the art to which my invention belongs to makeand use the same I will proceed to describe it more in detail.

In the drawings A represents the body of the stiffener, and which bodyis formed from steel Wire, the wire being first run between suitablerolls and flattened out to the desired thinness, after which it istempered, and drawn or run through a bath of molten tin or other moltennon-corrosive metal, and as the wire comes from such moltennon-corrosive bath, it is brushed or rubbed smooth and even, and whichcan be done in a very effectual manner by drawing the coated wirethrough an asbestus wiper. The temperature of the molten metal isregulated to draw the temper of the flattened steel wire just sufficientto leave it in the proper elastic state to make easy and yielding dressand corset stiffeners. If preferred the tempering and coating operationsmay all be performed in a continuous, or series of succeeding steps, thenecessary apparatus being provided to enable the said operations to beperformed with a single passage of the flattened steel through thecombined apparatus. The non-corrosive coating applied to the surface ofthe flattened steel contributes very much to the secure and perfectattachment of the caps B to the ends of the stiffeners. The flattenedtempered wire is then cut up into the proper and desired lengths, afterwhich the metal non-corrosive caps B are secured to the ends 0 ofstiffener body A.

To insure the caps remaining securely in place the endsO O, are eithercut out as shown at c, c, Fig. 3, or cut and turned up to form sharppoints or teeth d, d, as shown in Figs. t and 5. To the ends 0, thusprepared, caps '13, are slipped on and then the .ends 0 of the stiffenerwith its cap is placed in a die D, the

opening E being slightly wider than the width of the end 0, after whicha plunger descends and forces both the end 0 and cap B, into the bottomof the die D, see Fig. 7. By this operation the cap B is pressed tightlyabout the end 0, and into the notches 0,0, when the end is prepared asshown in Fig. 3, while when the end is prepared as shown in Figs. 4 and5, the metal of the cap B is pressed into the notches and about the endof the stiffener, and at the same time and by the same operation theteeth d, d, are pressed into the metal of the'caps, and both are presseddown smooth and even. By either of the above modes, the caps aresecurely fastened to the ends 0 of the stiffeners, while at the sametime the caps are smooth and not liable to cut or wear through thefabric in which they are placed, the edges e, e, of the caps beingpressed thin.

My corset stiffeners differ greatly from all the devices which havepreceded it, in that the gentle spring of the metal stiffener is reliedon for support to the wearer instead of the stiffness and comparativerigidity of the device. Whalebone and other imitations thereof, whenused in corsets soon become stiffened to such a degree by use as to bereally as rigid as sticks laced about the person, thereby greatlyinterfering with a graceful motion of the body, while at the same time,injuriously obstructing the circulation of the blood, in consequence ofbeing forced in their rigid state against the person by the motions ofthe body in daily exercise and Work. My stifiener on the contrary alwaysretains a uniform and constant-elasticity,and yields readily to conformto the varying motions of the body, but reacts by a gentle and easypressure to bring the body back to the desired position. In fact, allthe stiffeners act as so many little fingers to gently touch the person,which is thus caused to instinctively assume a correctposition again,the springs never setting however bent or twisted in use.

By my present invention along needed article is produced for use inladies dresses and corsets, not found in the various whalebone and clothcovered steel stiffeners heretofore in use.

My stilfener is light, very elastic, not liable to break, does not rustor corrode, and gives a gentle but constant support to the person of thewearer, which is conducive both to fit of garments and health of wearer.

Having described my improved dress and corset stiffener, what I claim asmy invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

As an article of manufacture, a dress and corset stiffener, of thin,flat, tempered steel, having the temper-cracks filled with tin, and thesurface covered with a smooth thin coating of tin, substantially as andfor the purpose described.

CHARLES K. PEVEY.

Witnesses:

THos. H. DODGE, HENRY L. MILLER.

